The last 3 matches took up almost 3 1/2 hours. Time well spent away from the tv. Now for some meaningful match.
Not looking good for Sony. He doesn't seem to be able to react to LCW's smashes - probably because of his bad back?
A match unbefitting a final, this MS. A stroll in the park for LCW, treating it like a workout and even committing several uncharacteristic mistakes. A LCW at 80% is more than enough to demolish Sony who is a pale shadow of his former self, unfortunately. The worst match of the day and the shortest one at that in 33 minutes. The other four finals are significantly better, the best being the WS with the two ladies displaying badminton of the very highest quality.
LCW knows all his contemporaries around his age so well that he can play without thinking to beat any one of them, with the exception of Lin Dan, of course, not to mention Chen Long who is seven years his junior.
While you wash your car I took a leisurely walk to Alexandra Village to look for food. Ended up with a bowl of Shanghainese spicy pork noodle and tim sum pork ribs. Later drowned everything with sugar cane juice. Heard of AV in Bukit Merah? I'm walking back home now but I'm sure I'll miss LCW and Sony. Hope it is not a foregone conclusion. But I expected Bao/Tang to win the WD.
What a delicious dinner for you, Uncle Loh. With all the meat, I hope you still play badminton to keep in good health. Oh, I can't remember when was the last time I was at Bukit Merah, but I do know the place. A stroll back on a Sunday evening rather than driving will do you good. MS was a one way traffic for LCW. Sony was very slow looked uncomfortable throughout the match.
Sony was unable to match LCW speed. That was the first problem, while LCW is great at all areas, even if Sony has the technique, he was always behind. LCW injected the pace at the very early of the game so everytime there is a lift, he will eat it with smash. Hence the lopsided game.
I don't recall Sony ever playing at the level of LD or LCW from the 2008 Olympics and onwards. Maybe it's not Sony that's regressed, it's just that LD and LCW are playing at a level never seen in badminton before before since 2008. The LD from 2008 to 2013 > LD from 2004. The LCW from 2008 to 2013 > LCW from 2004. Sony had a good tournament and he made a SS final again, beating some tough opponents on the way. Unfortunately, he is not in the same class as LCW.
I believe both factor, Sony is a bit degraded while LCW is still slightly improved. Of course, LCW at prime is better than Sony at his best. Can't question about it.
